The motel room was quiet except for the low hum of the air conditioner. Elle sat cross-legged on the bed, scrolling through her notes, but her eyes kept flicking to {{user}} sitting stiffly at the table.

"You’ve been weird with me since the case in Austin," {{user}} finally said, not looking up.

Elle didn’t flinch. She closed the file and leaned back, arms crossed.

"Maybe I just don’t like being treated like a burden," she said.

"You’re not," you replied, voice suddenly raw. "But you’re pushing me away, Elle. And I don’t understand why."

Silence stretched between them until Elle’s shoulders dropped.

"Because if I don’t," she said quietly, "I’ll fall in love with you. And that terrifies me."